State Congress leaders miffed over spate of allegations against Pratibha Patil which have dented the party’s image.
State Congress leaders miffed over spate of allegations against Pratibha Patil which have dented the party’s image
It is a classic example of defeat is more honourable than victory. This is how the Maharashtra Congress leaders are feeling after spate of public allegations against Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil tarnished the party’s image.
The mood in the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) is indifferent, with workers showing no enthusiasm about Patil making it to the top slot. In private, a section within the Congress said, “Noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande would have been a better choice.”
The MPCC office bearers are also quick to cite how this is another example of All India Congress Committee (AICC) failure in guiding high command Sonia Gandhi to select the right presidential candidate.
Highly-placed sources revealed, “Deshpande was a serious contender. But she indicated that if she becomes the President she would not compromise on Gandhian principles, namely non-violence.” It unsettled many in the Congress, as the Presidential candidate cannot say no to war or nuclear missiles test in the larger interest of the country.
A senior MPCC general secretary on conditions of anonymity said, “The presidential circus has once again exposed the inability of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to select the right Presidential candidate. In the hindsight we feel Nirmala Deshpande would have been the better candidate as she would have saved us from the corruption charges.”
Patil’s choice for Presidential polls has left Union Minister for Home Shivraj Patil and Union Minister for Power Sushil Kumar Shinde bitter, as their names were floated and then dropped by the central leadership of the party. Incidentally, both the senior ministers belong to Maharashtra.
Although party members pledge their support to Patil following party line, nobody has taken the initiative to publicly campaign for her. Patil’s visit to Mumbai on Monday has been postponed till July 16, as large number of elected representatives (MLAs/MPs) from ruling Congress and the NCP conveyed their inability to attend her programme.
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had organised a function at YB Chavan Centre at 6.30, on Monday to enable Patil to interact with Congress and NCP members.
Officially, the MPCC has not communicated any specific reasons for putting her visit on hold, but maintained she is likely to visit Mumbai when the monsoon session of the state legislature begins from July 16. Even her postponed programme is tentative and has not been finalised.
According to Congress spokesperson, Hussain Dalwai “MPCC chief Prabha Rau is now finalising the new programme. Her visit has been put on hold for now.”
A visit to the state Congress headquarters at Gandhi Bhavan as well Nariman Point clearly shows the lack of enthusiasm among party activists over Patil’s elevation as President of India. The spate of land scams against Patil has seen MPCC officials discreetly arguing noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande would have been a better choice than Patil for the Congress.
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